The deputy director of the Institute for Government has said the Queen could sack Boris Johnson should he refuse to abide by law in seeking an extension to Article 50.
Speaking to Channel 4 News, Hannah White said, “There will very likely be court cases brought against him and at the same time, I imagine, that parliamentarians will bring a vote of no confidence against him.”
She added, “There’s a two-week window [to look for an alternative prime minister], but it doesn’t need to take two weeks.
“So, after two weeks you would automatically have an election but the point of it is to allow an opportunity for somebody else to try to command the confidence of the House.
“And I think in a situation like this where Boris Johnson was breaking the law other people who didn’t like that would get together and find somebody else who they did have confidence in, who could command the confidence of the House.”
When asked could Johnson still refuse to resign with the Queen appointing a new prime minister, she said, “I think in a situation like this, and it’s completely unthinkable really.
“I think it would be open to the Queen to sack him and put someone else in who she felt could command the confidence of the House.
“I think if you have a prime minister who is openly breaking the law, she could do that.
“It comes down to the Queen and that is why this is deeply undesirable.
“Because it is always the case in our constitution that the Queen should be kept out of politics, and that a prime minister should only resign if he can recommend somebody else who could be prime minister in their place.”
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